Treatment of hydrocarbon oils



Dec. 29, 1936. J. CUTTER TREATMENT OF HYDROCARBON OILS Original Filed June 6,, i931 172-2672 07 John Gui-6e), 3? W mm mo NQ Mb kbw uUk Patented Dec. 29, 1936 UNITED STATE s PATENT OFFICE TREATMENT OF HYDROCARBON OILS John Cutter, Tulsa, Okla, assignor, by mesne assignments, to Universal Oil Products. Company, Chicago, 11]., a corporation of Delaware Application June 6', 1931, Serial No. 542,534 Renewed March 23, 1935 cracked vapors from the reaction zone are separatedinto motor fuel-containing vapors and insufiiciently cracked hydrocarbons which are to be further converted; the motor fuel-containing vapors arereheated in the fractionator in which they were separated and then directed to further fractionating means where motor fuel is separated frommelatively light intermediate .hydrocarbons, then condensed and collected; hydrocarbon oil containing relatively lighterboiling components to be removed by distillation before cracking is preheated indirectly by products from the process undergoing condensation, is further heated indirectly in the fractionators of the cracking system; is then subjected to vaporization, the vapors fractionated and the non-vaporized portion of the hydrocarbon oildirectedto cracking treatment.

which Reference to the accompanying drawing, illustrates in a diagrammatic manner one embodiment of the invention, will develop the.ieatures of the invention. Crude oil is charged to the process through line. I and valve 2 to pump 3 which pumps the oil through line I and valve 5 to the heat exchanger 5, where the .oil is preheated and then flows through line 8 regulated by valve 9 into the coil l0 disposed in fractionator It. Any desired portion of this oil may by-pass coil in by passing through line l2 regulated by valve i3 and then to line H. The oil from line It passes'into line I5 regulated by valve 99 and may flow through coil i6 disposed in'fraction'ator i1, and the heated oil directed through line 18 and valve I00 into line l9. Any portion of the oil flowing into line l5 may by-pass the coil i5; by flowing through valve 20 into line l9. Oil flowing through line I9 is directed to the vaporizer 2| where vaporization takes place and non-vaporized heavy hydrocarbons comprising the charging stock to the cracking process is separated from the lighter hydrocarbon components. The hydrocarbon vapors leaving thevaporizer through line 22 flows tothe fractionator 23 where a heavy distillate cut such as furnace oil is separated out by fractionacharacter of motor fuel flow through line 26 to the condenser 21 and the cooled and condensed products flow through line 28 into separator 29 where the motor fuel may be removed through line 30 regulated by valve 3| anduncondensable products removed through line 32 regulated by valve 33. The fraction condensed and separated in fractionator 25 is removed through line 34, di-

rected to cooler 35 and removed through line 35 regulated by valve 31 to suitable disposal. The fraction condensed in fractionator 23 is removed through line 38 to cooler 39 and the product discharged through line 40 regulated by valve 4! to suitable disposal.

Non-vaporizing charging oil separated in vaporizer 2I' is removed through line 42 regulated by valve 63 and directed to pump 46 which pumps this oil through line 45 and valve 45 into line, which in turn discharges through valve 48 into line 49 leading to the heating element.

Reflux condensate'formed in the fractionator i1 through line 59 regulated by valve 60 into line 41, which in turn discharges lnto-line 49 leading to the heating element. The oil flowing through the heating element 54 is heated to a suitable cracking-temperature under suitable pressure and discharged through line 6| regulated byvalve 63 into reaction chamber 64 where oil undergoes conversion and non-vaporized residue is separated from vaporized products. vNon-vaporize residue may be removed through line 55 regulated by valve 56, and" vaporized products may be removed through linefi'l regulated by valve 58 and directed to iractionator l1. s

ducing same into the line 55 regulated by valve 51 leading to pump 58 which pumps said oil K The character of the vapors leaving fraction v by valve I3 and'returning through-line I4 and valve'|5 into line 59. Any portion of the oil or all ofiit may by-pass this coil and flow through valve Miami the oil'vapors heated in coil l1 disposed in the lower portion of fractionator 11.,

The vapors fiow'into coil Ti through line 18 regulated by valve 19 and leave the coil through line regulated by valve 8| returning to line 69.

Line 59 enters near the bottom of fractionator ii wherein the vapors corresponding to motor I fuel are separated from higher boiling insumciently cracked constituents. The character of the motor fuel product leaving fractionator ll may be controlled by the oil flowing through coil l0 previouslydescribed. Heavier constituents condensed in fractionator l I are removed through line llll leading to cooler 83 and the cooled oil flowing through line 84 may be directed in part through line 85 regulated by valve 86 and directed to the top of fractionator II for cooling purposes. 8

Oil flowing through valve 81 may be removed from the process or if desired may be processed in a manner not illustrated, as for example the oil withdrawn through line |0l may be directed with or without cooling to further cracking treatment. Fractionated vapors leaving the top of fractionator ll flow through line 88 regulated by valve 89 to heat exchanger 6 where they are cooled or condensed by indirect contact with crude oil flowing to the process. Cooled and condensed vapors flowthrough line 90 to cooler 9| where the products are further cooled and thence directed through line 92 and'valve 93 to receiver 84 where separation of liquid and gaseous products is effected. Liquid products are removed through line 95 regulated byvalve 96 and gaseous or uncondensed products are removed through line 91 regulated by valve 98. I

Temperatures employed in the process range from those required to heat the crude oil and .remove by vaporization the various distillation tures used may vary from 750 F.,.to 1000 F'.,

or more, and the corresponding p'ressuresmay vary from low superatmospheric pressure of pounds per square inch, more or less, to 2000 pounds per square inch or more. The pressures employed may be equalized between the various elements comprising the cracking process or differential pressures may be employed. a For example, the pressure on the heating element 54, reaction chamber 64 and fraction'ator I! may be equalized, the pressure on each varying only as a result of pressure'drop through preceding elements, and the pressure reduced in the line be,- tween fractionator l1 and fractionator ll; or the pressure on the heating element 54 may be maintained at a given pressure, 'for example 350 pounds per square inch, by the regulation of valve 63, the pressure on the reaction chamber 84 and'fractionator ll may be. maintained at approximately 200 pounds per square inchpressure by manipulation of valve 10 .for example. and subsequent elements may be maintained at lower desired pressures.

Q As a specific example of the results obtainable in one operation of the process of my invention, a Mid-Continent crude oil of approximately 22 A. P'. I. gravity is directed to the process and heated in indirect heat exchange with heated materials in the process as above described and approximately ten percent of gasoline of approximately 50 A. P. I; gravity removed from receiv er", approximatelyapercent of kerosene of 40-42 A. P. I. gravity removed through line 36', and approximately 5 percent of .38-40 A. P. I.

' I gravity removed through line 48. The topped crude oil is removed from vaporizer Z] by means of pump 44- and directed to-the heating element together with reflux condensate from fractiona collecting said vapors the. process.

by volume of the topped crude, the remaining products from cracking comprising a heavy distillate removed from the bottom of fractionator I l, coke and gas.

The above example is only illustrative of one mode of operation of the improvements constituting the process ofmy invention and should not be construed as a limitation thereof.

I claim as my invention:

1. A hydrocarbon oil cracking process which comprises heating the oil to cracking temperature in a heating zone and separating the same into vapors and residue, introducing the vapors to a fractionating zone and fractionating the same therein to condense insufliciently cracked fractions thereof, removing uncondensed vapors from the upper portion of the fractionating zone and reheating the same by indirect heat exchange with the hotter hydrocarbons in the lower portion of the fractionating zone, further fractionating the reheated vapors to condense heavier portions thereof, introducing such condensed heavier portions into direct contact with the vapors undergoing fractionation in the fractionating zone, returning reflux condensate from the fractionating zone to the heating zone, and finally condensing the fractionated vapors.

2. A simultaneous distilling and cracking operation which comprises forcing a stream of crude oil through a closed zone in indirect contact with vapors from a fractionating zone whereby to preheat said crude oil and cool said vapors, passing said preheated stream of crude oil through a second closed zone'in indirect contact with vaporsbeing subjected to fractionation insaid fraction'ating zone, whereby to further preheat said crude oil and partially condense said vapors to form reflux condensate, discharging said preheated crude oil in a separating zone where vapors separate from topped crude, subjecting said topped crude to cracking conditions of. temperature and superatmospheric pressure in a cracking zone to form vapors and non-vaporous residue, introducing the vapors to said fractionatingr zone and subjecting the same therein to fractionation by indirect contact with said closed stream of previously preheated crude oil, removing vapors remaining uncondensed after passage through said fractionating zone aftersaid fractionation and passing the same in a closed stream in indirect'contact with the vapors in said fractionating zone whereby to heat the vapors in the closed stream and partially condense the vapors being fractionated, further passing the heated vapors in indirect contact with saidstream of crude oil in said first men- 1 tioned closed zone, introducing resultant reflux JOHN CUTTER. 

